What started out as a dull session has turned dramatic with a Republican lawmaker stopped by Denver police on suspicion of drunken driving threatening to leave her party, a move that could imperil the GOP's slim majority in the House.

Rep. Laura Bradford said Wednesday she is considering becoming an unaffiliated voter, in part because an ethics investigation against her is proceeding although Denver police admitted she didn't use her position to get out of a DUI arrest.

"I'm frustrated by the lack of the support, not just over the last five days but during last session too," Bradford said. "I don't always vote my caucus. I vote my district. There's been a lot of arm-twisting and scolding."

With Bradford, Republicans hold a 33-32 lead over Democrats, who control the Senate and the governor's office.

If the House makeup changed to 32-32-1, McNulty would remain as speaker, although a member could nominate someone else for the post and the House would take a vote. The winner would need 33 votes.

The speaker is the only position in House leadership that requires approval from the majority of the entire chamber, no matter the affiliation.

Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino of Denver said Democrats are focusing on their bills, not on whether he might be nominated for the speaker's job.

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"We can't speculate on 'what-ifs,' " he said.

Ferrandino said Bradford had spoken to him about her situation but had asked for nothing. He said he offered nothing nor would he.

"I mostly listened to where she was at," Ferrandino said. "She needs to think through her thoughts and what she decides to do."

Sen. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, said he tried to talk to Bradford, a fellow Mesa County lawmaker, about the damage she would cause by leaving the party.

"When I think of the hours and the money and the work in getting that one-vote majority, I am just heartsick," King said.

Two lawmakers have changed parties in recent years. Rep. Kathleen Curry of Gunnison went from Democrat to unaffiliated, and Rep. Debbie Stafford of Aurora changed from Republican to Democrat. Neither move affected the majority.

The drama began Friday when House leaders learned that two days earlier, Denver police had stopped Bradford after saying she made an improper lane change. They initially said they believed Bradford was driving drunk but couldn't test her because she invoked legislative immunity, a little-known constitutional clause that prohibits the arrest of lawmakers on misdemeanor charges during the session.

Bradford apologized on the House floor Monday but maintained she never invoked legislative privilege.

In a stunning reversal, Denver police held a news conference Tuesday to say a sergeant now under investigation lied about the traffic stop and that Bradford had repeatedly said she wanted to be treated like other citizens. Police sent her home in a cab.

On Jan. 25, Bradford had been at an East Colfax bar where lawmakers, lobbyists and Capitol staffers often gather for happy hour. She said that she had dinner with former lawmakers she declined to name and that she had three glasses of wine.

She said that's why she told police several times to test her because she believes she would have passed.

Despite the police announcement, McNulty said he decided to proceed with the House ethics investigation because an investigation is warranted.

"This is not a question of loyalty. It's not a question of having somebody's back," he said. "It's a question of making sure we do what we need to do to make sure the rules of the House were not violated and a member is upholding the highest ethical standard."

Bradford is running for re-election, although she said whether to press on is another decision she will mull during "windshield time," referring to her four-hour drive home Friday. She said she and her husband have discussed a number of times how many straws it takes to reach "the final straw."

Bradford said that last year, Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Colorado Springs, was furious with her for voting against an amendment to one of her bills and that Stephens shook her finger at her in front of two dozen people.

"She said, 'You will live to regret this, Bradford. You haven't heard the last of it,' " Bradford said. "The rest of the session was brutal."

Stephens, who now is the House majority leader, said that's untrue. She said what happened was that Bradford told her and Ferrandino she could vote for the amendment to their bill if certain changes were made, which happened, and then Bradford voted against it.

"Mark looked at me and went, 'What?' " Stephens said. "I said to her, 'How dare you break your word. How could you? I expect more out of you.' I never said she would regret it.

"Whatever her grievances are, it's not part of the reality of the situation right now."

Not all kids who play baseball are uniformed with fancy script across their chests, traveling to $1,000 instructional camps and drilled how to properly hit the cut-off man. Some kids just play to play.